MPs have asked the Foreign Affairs Ministry to come up with a long-term solution to the perennial spats between Kenya and Uganda.

The MPs lamented in Parliament Tuesday afternoon over an "emerging trend" where Kenyans are arrested by Ugandan authorities and detained arbitrarily.

Nominated MP Mohammed Affey had asked about the fate of Mussa Hassan Bulle and John Lodong, both employees of the Medecins Sans Frontieres, who had been arrested and detained by Ugandan forces.

Foreign Affairs assistant minister Richard Onyonka said the two had been released after the intervention of the Kenyan Government, and that the ministry has no record of other Kenyans taken in the same manner.

"It may look like Uganda has harassed Kenyans in the past but we have talked to them and they have said they will try and follow the correct procedure," said Mr Onyonka.

He said the problem has mostly arisen due to the complex nature of terrorism, which resulted in the arrest and illegal rendition of 11 Kenyans to Uganda in 2009.

Human rights activist Al Amin Kimathi was also arrested and detained in Uganda and Mr Onyonka said he would be free to seek compensation from the Ugandan government if he feels his rights were violated.

But MPs Rachel Shebesh (Nominated, ODM) and John Mbadi (Gwassi, ODM) lamented that the Foreign Affairs Ministry appears to have no policy towards Uganda, which has frequently taken Kenyans illegally.

"The Foreign Affairs Ministry always seems to be apologising to the Ugandan Government," said Ms Shebesh.

According to Mr Mbadi, whose constituency is next to Nyatike, where the disputed Migingo Island lies, Uganda is mostly the aggressor in these cases, mostly related to the arrests of Kenyan fishermen.

"When are we going to stop these excuses of friendly nation yet Uganda is not friendly? Those of us from the border are tired of the arrests, and we're tired of your excuses," Mr Mbadi told Mr Onyonka.

Mr Onyonka said the only way out of the protracted conflict with Uganda, Kenya's biggest trading partner, would be through diplomacy.

He said the Kenyan ambassador in Kampala has been asked to keep engaging with the Ugandan authorities on the need to keep to the requirements of the East African Community Common Market Protocol.